Monday, January 30, 2006
Bogged Down by Sleeves
I've joined the shoulders on Dominic's sweater. I picked up the sts for the first sleeve and started knitting down. I'm just not sure that they will fit right and haven't had a chance for him to try it on, so I don't really want to continue knitting on the sleeve. However, I have so many other projects on needles right now that I'm ignoring, and I don't want to start a new project because of that, so I'm just not getting much in the way of knitting done. Madrona is in less than two weeks, though, and that should jump start my knitting.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Zig Zag
I have finished the front on Dominic's sweater. One day I will have photos up. I am now working on joining the shoulders (three needle bind off) and will pick up the sleeve sts and work them in the round all the way down. I am figuring on using about two and a half or three skeins of Naturespun Sport. This is for a size six sweater with texture and cables, this yarn has very generous yardage.
Our Bishop came up to celebrate Epiphany with us, and it was a great blessing to share that with him. We had a lovely feast on Sunday with him as well, and all got to ask their questions of him.
Our Bishop came up to celebrate Epiphany with us, and it was a great blessing to share that with him. We had a lovely feast on Sunday with him as well, and all got to ask their questions of him.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Public Service Announcement
Do you raise animals for food? Have pets? Shop at Farmers' markets or small organic producers of meat? Buy yarn or fiber from small production companies/farms that raise sheep, llama, alpaca, angora rabbits or goats? Then this announcement applies to you. Please read and sign the petition if you agree, and then write to your US senators and your US representative and ask them to oppose this. Also, please feel free to copy this post and post it on your blog.
Small farmers and backyard flock/herd keepers are facing a serious threat
to their way of life. The government is proposing a Mandatory Property and
Animal Surveillance Program that will require the registration of property
and individual animals, even if you have only one chicken, pig, cow, etc.
This must be stopped, or all small farmers will be driven out of business.
Help Stop the USDA from Taking Away Our Livestock and Our Pets
Poultry keepers and small farmers are facing a serious threat from a
proposed government intrusion in to their pastimes and way of life. For
quite a while now, the USDA has been working with the very largest scale animal industry
organizations ( for example, The National Pork Producers, Monsanto Company,
and Cargill Meat) to develop a mandatory "National Animal Identification
System" (NAIS).
Most small scale livestock producers, people who raise animals for their own
food, and people who keep horses and livestock as companion animals do not
know about this. The NAIS will drive small producers out of the market, will
force people to stop raising animals for their own food, and will invade our
privacy to an extreme degree. It will violate the religious freedoms of
Americans whose beliefs make it impossible for them to comply, and will
destroy the last vestiges of animal welfare from the production of animals
for food.
On April 25, 2005,the USDA released "Draft Program Standards" and a "Draft
Strategic Plan" concerning the NAIS. If you think the description below to
bizarre to be true, please go to usda.gov/nais and read the Standards and
Plan and check the citations for yourself.
By January 1, 2008, the NAIS will be mandatory.(Plan,pp. 2,10,17) Every
person who owns even one horse, cow ,pig, chicken, sheep, pigeon, or
virtually any livestock animal, will be forced to register their home,
including the owners name, address and phone number, and keyed to Global
Positioning System coordinates for satellite monitoring in a giant federal
database under a 7-digit "premises id number." St., pp. 3-4, 10-12; Plan,
p.5)
Every animal will be assigned a 15 digit I.D. number, also to be kept in a
federal database. The id will likely be a tag or microchip containing a
Radio Frequency Device, designed to be read from a distance. (Plan, p.10;
St.,pp.6,12,20,27-28.) The plan may include collecting the DNA of every
animal and /or a retinal scan.
The owner will be required to report the birthdate of every animal, the
application of every animal's id tag, every time an animal enters or leaves
the property, every time an animal loses a tag, every time a tag is
replaced, the slaughter or death of an animal, if any animal is missing.
These events must be reported within 24 hours.
Third parties, like veterinarians, will be required to report "sightings" of
animals. For example, if you have a vet on your property to treat a sick
animal, and the vet sees any animal without the mandatory 15-digit computer
readable id, the vet will be required to report you.
If you do not comply, the USDA will exorcise "enforcement" against you. The
USDA hasn't specified the nature of "enforcement" as of yet, but it will
probably include fines and/or seizing your animals. There are no exceptions
- under this plan you will be forced to register an report even if you raise
animals only for your own food or keep horses for draft or transportation.
What you can do:
Small scale keepers of poultry and other livestock can take action to create
an effective movement in opposition to the USDA plan. First, small scale
livestock owners should not participate in any "voluntary" state or federal
program to register farms or animals. The USDA is making farmers willingness
to participate in a "voluntary" program as a justification for making the
program mandatory. ( See Plan, "Executive Summary" and pp.7-8) Small farmers
and livestock owners can also help to inform and organize others. The USDA
presently does not plan to finalize it's rules for mandatory id until the
summer of 2006. There is still time to make your voice heard. Please, sign
this petition and let the USDA know we will not stand for having our right,
freedoms, and personal privacy taken away. Thank you.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/369063795?ltl=1136227578
Small farmers and backyard flock/herd keepers are facing a serious threat
to their way of life. The government is proposing a Mandatory Property and
Animal Surveillance Program that will require the registration of property
and individual animals, even if you have only one chicken, pig, cow, etc.
This must be stopped, or all small farmers will be driven out of business.
Help Stop the USDA from Taking Away Our Livestock and Our Pets
Poultry keepers and small farmers are facing a serious threat from a
proposed government intrusion in to their pastimes and way of life. For
quite a while now, the USDA has been working with the very largest scale animal industry
organizations ( for example, The National Pork Producers, Monsanto Company,
and Cargill Meat) to develop a mandatory "National Animal Identification
System" (NAIS).
Most small scale livestock producers, people who raise animals for their own
food, and people who keep horses and livestock as companion animals do not
know about this. The NAIS will drive small producers out of the market, will
force people to stop raising animals for their own food, and will invade our
privacy to an extreme degree. It will violate the religious freedoms of
Americans whose beliefs make it impossible for them to comply, and will
destroy the last vestiges of animal welfare from the production of animals
for food.
On April 25, 2005,the USDA released "Draft Program Standards" and a "Draft
Strategic Plan" concerning the NAIS. If you think the description below to
bizarre to be true, please go to usda.gov/nais and read the Standards and
Plan and check the citations for yourself.
By January 1, 2008, the NAIS will be mandatory.(Plan,pp. 2,10,17) Every
person who owns even one horse, cow ,pig, chicken, sheep, pigeon, or
virtually any livestock animal, will be forced to register their home,
including the owners name, address and phone number, and keyed to Global
Positioning System coordinates for satellite monitoring in a giant federal
database under a 7-digit "premises id number." St., pp. 3-4, 10-12; Plan,
p.5)
Every animal will be assigned a 15 digit I.D. number, also to be kept in a
federal database. The id will likely be a tag or microchip containing a
Radio Frequency Device, designed to be read from a distance. (Plan, p.10;
St.,pp.6,12,20,27-28.) The plan may include collecting the DNA of every
animal and /or a retinal scan.
The owner will be required to report the birthdate of every animal, the
application of every animal's id tag, every time an animal enters or leaves
the property, every time an animal loses a tag, every time a tag is
replaced, the slaughter or death of an animal, if any animal is missing.
These events must be reported within 24 hours.
Third parties, like veterinarians, will be required to report "sightings" of
animals. For example, if you have a vet on your property to treat a sick
animal, and the vet sees any animal without the mandatory 15-digit computer
readable id, the vet will be required to report you.
If you do not comply, the USDA will exorcise "enforcement" against you. The
USDA hasn't specified the nature of "enforcement" as of yet, but it will
probably include fines and/or seizing your animals. There are no exceptions
- under this plan you will be forced to register an report even if you raise
animals only for your own food or keep horses for draft or transportation.
What you can do:
Small scale keepers of poultry and other livestock can take action to create
an effective movement in opposition to the USDA plan. First, small scale
livestock owners should not participate in any "voluntary" state or federal
program to register farms or animals. The USDA is making farmers willingness
to participate in a "voluntary" program as a justification for making the
program mandatory. ( See Plan, "Executive Summary" and pp.7-8) Small farmers
and livestock owners can also help to inform and organize others. The USDA
presently does not plan to finalize it's rules for mandatory id until the
summer of 2006. There is still time to make your voice heard. Please, sign
this petition and let the USDA know we will not stand for having our right,
freedoms, and personal privacy taken away. Thank you.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/369063795?ltl=1136227578
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Mitten Photos, Year End Tally
Here, at last, are the photos of Dominic's Mittens
They were my final finished project of the year. I used Knit Picks Simple Stripes in Storm, knit them on size 1 needles, and basically followed the formula in the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, though I changed where I started the thumb, made the top about two inches shorter than they said for a child his age, and did the decreases a little differently. I think I also did the thumb a little differently than they said.
My year's finished knitting projects were:
I also ended up helping finish about 12 of the students' kites, besides the example I made. I still have two things that need photos taken of them to show here, so I'll leave them in the side bar until I get that done. Not including the extra kite bookmarks, that's 16 finished projects this year.
They were my final finished project of the year. I used Knit Picks Simple Stripes in Storm, knit them on size 1 needles, and basically followed the formula in the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, though I changed where I started the thumb, made the top about two inches shorter than they said for a child his age, and did the decreases a little differently. I think I also did the thumb a little differently than they said.
My year's finished knitting projects were:
- Vintage Lace Christening Cap for Flora - January 26
- Regia Jacquard Newborn Hat for Samuel - February 21
- Fir Cone Scarf for Kelly - May 12
- Lara for Me - May 12
- Flower Basket Shawl for Deanna - June 20
- Apricot Bliss Dress for Amira - July 23
- Garden Shrug for Me - August 4
- Los Lobe Hose for Noreen - August 22
- Balaclava for Fr. Jonathan - September 14
- Little Boy Green for Elijah - October 5
- Shop Scarf Kit Sample - October 17
- Los Lobe Hose for Pam - October 21
- Flora for Nora - November 4
- Kite Bookmark for Alexander's Class Project - November 29
- Snowball Hat for Alexander - December 1
- Simple Stripes Mittens for Dominic - December 18
I also ended up helping finish about 12 of the students' kites, besides the example I made. I still have two things that need photos taken of them to show here, so I'll leave them in the side bar until I get that done. Not including the extra kite bookmarks, that's 16 finished projects this year.
